Buddy Valastro facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Buddy Valastro
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Valastro at the 2013 Jersey City Mayoral Inauguration
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| Born |
Bartolo Valastro Jr.
March 3, 1977 |
| Occupation |
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| Known for | Baker, cake designer and host of Cake Boss |
| Television | Cake Boss |
| Title | Owner of Carlo's Bakery, Buddy V's Events, The Boss Cafe, Pizza Cake, & Buddy V's Ristorante |
| Spouse(s) |
Lisa Valastro
(m. 2001) |
| Children | 4 |
| Parent(s) | Bartolo Valastro Sr. and Mary Valastro |
Bartolo "Buddy" Valastro Jr. (born March 3, 1977) is a famous American baker, TV star, and businessman. He is well-known for taking his family's small bakery, Carlo's Bakery, and turning it into a huge baking and restaurant business. Buddy is most famous for starring in the TV show Cake Boss, which was on the TLC channel from 2009 to 2020. He has also been in other shows like Next Great Baker, Kitchen Boss, and Buddy Valastro's Cake Dynasty.
Buddy Valastro was born in Hoboken. He grew up there and in Little Ferry, New Jersey. His mother, Mary Tubito, was born in Italy. His father, Buddy Sr., was also born in Italy. Buddy grew up with four older sisters: Grace, Mary, Maddalena, and Lisa.
He went to Ridgefield Park High School. He also took special baking classes at the Bergen County Technical High School, Teterboro Campus.
Buddy started working at his family's business, Carlo's Bakery, when he was just 11 years old. He worked alongside his father. When his father passed away in 1994, Buddy was 17. He then took over running the family bakery.
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Buddy's Amazing Career
Buddy helped the family bakery grow a lot. They became famous for making amazing designer wedding cakes. These cakes were even shown in bridal magazines! Because of this, Buddy was asked to compete in cake challenges on the Food Network Challenge show. After trying a few times, he won a big prize of $10,000 in a "battle of the brides" competition.
Cake Boss and Books
After his success, Buddy suggested a TV show about his life at Carlo's Bakery. The show would feature him working with his mother, sisters, and other family members. The TLC channel liked the idea and started the show Cake Boss in 2009.
In 2010, Buddy wrote his first book, Cake Boss, Stories and Recipes from Mia Famiglia. He also wrote other popular books, including Baking with the Cake Boss and Cooking Italian with the Cake Boss.
Awards and Recognition
In 2012, Buddy Valastro was recognized for bringing attention to Hoboken, New Jersey, because of his bakery and TV show. He was named one of Hudson County's most influential people. In 2017, he was honored and added to the New Jersey Hall of Fame. At the ceremony, Buddy said he was very proud to be from New Jersey.
Growing the Bakery Business
Carlo's Bakery once had many locations across New Jersey. Today, the Hoboken and Marlton locations are still open. There are also Carlo's Bakeries in other cities like New York City, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Orlando, Florida, and Las Vegas.
The main office for the business is in Jersey City. This large space is used to create special wedding cakes and other baked goods. They even ship these delicious treats all over the country!
Restaurants and Other Ventures
In 2013, Buddy opened his own Italian restaurant called Buddy V's Ristorante. It is located at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas. He has opened other restaurants in Las Vegas too, like PizzaCake and The Boss Cafe.
In 2014, Buddy started an event planning and catering company called Buddy V's Events. This company helps people plan parties and provides food for them.
In 2019, Buddy launched "cake ATMs." These are special vending machines that sell slices of cake. You can find these machines in places like Las Vegas, Toronto, and other cities across Canada and the US.
Since 2023, Buddy has new shows on the A&E channel. Cake Dynasty shows his children joining the family business. Legends of the Fork features him visiting different restaurants around the country.
Helping Others
Buddy Valastro is a big supporter of the Special Olympics. He even baked a special cake for the announcement that the 2014 Special Olympics USA National Games would be held in New Jersey.
He has also helped hundreds of sick children through the "Make-A-Wish" program. These children get to bake with him, which is a dream come true for many of them.
Buddy's Personal Life
Buddy Valastro married Elisabetta "Lisa" Belgiovine on October 14, 2001. They have four children together: Sofia, Bartolo "Buddy" III, Marco, and Carlo. The family lived in East Hanover Township, New Jersey, until 2014, and now they live in Montville, New Jersey.
His four older sisters, Grace, Mary, Maddalena, and Lisa, often appear on his TV shows with their husbands. His brother-in-law, Maurizio Belgiovine, helps manage Carlo's Bakery.
In September 2020, Buddy had a serious accident at his home bowling alley. His right hand was badly injured by a machine. His sons and other family members helped free him from the machine. He had several surgeries to fix his hand. By November 2023, he had regained about 95% of the strength in his hand.
Buddy's TV Shows
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Food Network Challenge | Guest mentor | Episode: "Battle of the Brides" |
| 2009–2020 | Cake Boss | Host | |
| 2010–2014 | Next Great Baker | Host / Judge | |
| 2014 | Next Great Baker: Latin America | Host / Judge | |
| 2011–2012 | Kitchen Boss | Host | |
| 2013–2014 | Buddy's Bakery Rescue | ||
| 2015 | The Apprentice | Guest judge | Episode: "May the Gods of Good Pies Be with Us" |
| 2015–2018 | Batalha dos Confeiteiros | Host / Judge | |
| 2016 | Batalha dos Cozinheiros | ||
| Buddy's Family Vacation | Host | ||
| Bakers vs. Fakers | |||
| 2017 | Dancing with the Stars Brazil | Judge | Christmas special |
| 2018–present | Buddy's Big Bakedown | Host | |
| 2018 | Impractical Jokers | Himself | Episode: "Pulling the Rug" |
| 2019 | Buddy vs. Duff | Lost to Duff 258-254 | |
| 2019 | Bake You Rich | Host / Judge | |
| 2019 | Beat Bobby Flay | Guest Judge | Episode: "Grapes of Wrath" |
| 2020 | Beat Bobby Flay | Contestant | Episode: "No Cake Walk". He challenged Bobby with his signature Multi-Layered Cake. He also won that challenge. |
| 2020 | Nickelodeon's Unfiltered | Himself | Episode: "Avocado Toasted Piñatas!" |
| 2023–present | Legends of the Fork | Host | |
| 2023–present | Buddy Valastro's Cake Dynasty | Himself | Spinoff of Cake Boss |
As a Producer
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2010–2012 | Next Great Baker | 6 episodes |
| 2011–2012 | Kitchen Boss | All episodes |
| 2015–2018 | Batalha dos Confeiteiros | |
| 2016 | Batalha dos Cozinheiros | |
| Cake Boss | 8 episodes | |
| Cooks vs. Cons | 1 episode | |
| Bakers vs. Fakers | All episodes | |
| 2023–present | Legends of the Fork | All episodes |
See also
In Spanish: Buddy Valastro para niños
- List of pastry chefs
